Chapter 223: Chapter 223 Morning Coffee
Elara
I looked way better than I had during the holidays. The dark circles were still there, but lighter now. Like someone had taken a blur tool to the worst parts.
Yesterday, the second we got off the plane, I crashed. Didn’t even shower. Didn’t even take off my shoes, actually.
Dominic had to peel them off my feet while I was already half-asleep on the bed.
He carried me into the bathroom and washed me himself while I half-slept against his chest.
I remember the warmth of the water. I remember his hands in my hair, fingers working through the knots.
I remember the low rumble of his voice telling me to tilt my head back so soap didn’t get in my eyes. But everything else is a blur.
I was out before he even dried me off.
This morning, I woke up alone in the bed.
The sheets next to me were cold. He’d been gone for a while.
I blinked at the ceiling for a minute, letting the world come back into focus. Then I saw it.
A note on the nightstand. Folded once. My name on the outside in his handwriting.
I picked it up like it might bite me.
"You looked peaceful. Didn’t want to wake you. Call me later."
I stared at that note for a while. Then I grabbed my phone.
That’s when I saw it. The family group chat. twenty-seven unread messages.
And at the center of it all — a photo of a marriage certificate.
Nancy and Yardley.
I scrolled for a solid five minutes before I got out of bed.
--
The office was quiet when I got in.
The kind of quiet that comes after a holiday break, when everyone is still waking up and no one has the energy for small talk yet.
I was stirring my coffee in the break room when I heard footsteps. Light ones. Familiar.
Nancy smiled. A real one, not the tight customer-service version she used on clients. This one reached her eyes. "Morning, Elara."
"Morning, Nancy."
The break room was empty. Just the hum of the old fridge and the drip of the coffee machine.
And us. Two women holding mugs like shields.
Perfect.
I stirred my coffee and took a sip. It burned my tongue. I ignored it.
I lowered my voice.
"So. I saw the group chat." Another sip. Burned again. Worth it. "Look at you, Mrs. Wolfe."
Her cheeks went pink. It was subtle, but I caught it.
A faint flush that crept up from her collar like it was trying to escape.
They were supposed to be fake dating. That was the deal. Fake dating, fake engagement.
But somewhere along the way, fake turned into a marriage certificate in under two weeks.
I needed the whole story. But more than that, I needed to see her face when I asked.
Because I had a feeling she wasn’t sure how to feel about it yet.
Nancy kept her face neutral.
She was trying too hard. The way her shoulders stayed perfectly still, the way her mug didn’t move. That gave her away. "Don’t tease me. At work, I’m just your coworker."
"Uh-huh." I took another sip. “Sure you are. And I’m just a regular employee who happens to be married to your brother-in-law.”
She pressed her lips together, fighting a smile.
I let her have that one. Then I shifted gears.
"You know what the sweetest part is?" I leaned against the counter and wrapped my hands around my mug. "Orion’s wish came true."
Nancy’s brow furrowed. She blinked, confused.
"There’s a fountain in the garden at Wolfe Manor," I said. "The one with the stone angel in the middle." Orion throws coins in there almost every day and makes wishes."
"The housekeeper told me he’s been doing it for months." I softened my voice. "She finally had to tell him to stop because the fountain was literally full of pennies. The pump was getting clogged."
Nancy’s mouth opened slightly. Then closed. Her hand tightened around her mug.
Her eyes went bright. The kind of bright that means tears are coming, even if she’s fighting them.
She swallowed hard. I watched her throat move as she forced the emotion back down.
"I’ll make it up to him." Her voice was steady, but I could hear the shake underneath. Like a note held too long. "All of it."
I set my coffee down. The sound of the mug against the counter was louder than I meant it to be. "Nancy."
She looked at me.
"You don’t have to make up for anything. You’re here." I held her gaze. "That’s what he wanted."
She blinked quickly. Twice. Three times. Her jaw tightened.
Then she nodded. A small, sharp movement. Like she was agreeing with me and disagreeing with herself at the same time.
I studied her face for a second. There was something fierce in her eyes. Something that looked like a promise she was making to herself more than to me. The kind of promise you make in the dark, when no one else is watching.
"I know you will." I tilted my head. "But seriously. You and Yardley. This is real now, right?"
Nancy froze. Her hand stopped mid-stir. The spoon clinked against the rim of her mug.
Her mouth opened.
Then I heard it.
Footsteps. Coming toward the break room.
I straightened up and grabbed my coffee.
"We’ll talk after work." I said it fast, low, under my breath.
